Heroes in Training

A few days later, Nathan stood at the gates of the Hero Association HQ, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. The towering facility gleamed in the early morning sun, a symbol of everything he had fought for. 

This is it. No more tests. No more simulations. This is real.

"Would you stop fidgeting?" Lucas clapped a hand on his shoulder, grinning as if they were about to stroll into an amusement park. "We made it, man. First official day as hero trainees!"

Nathan exhaled. "I know. It just… feels unreal."

Before Lucas could respond, a sharp whistle cut through the air. Titan strutted past, rolling his shoulders. "Hope you two kept up your training, especially you," He said looking at Nathan "Would hate to leave you in the dust already."

Not far behind, Astra adjusted her glasses, eyes scanning the entrance. Aegis followed, already deep in thought.

Nathan's gaze drifted to a nearby display case where freshly pressed Trainee Hero uniforms stood waiting. The sleek designs, bearing the Association's emblem, shimmered under the lights.

Lucas nudged him. "Bet mine looks cooler than yours."

Nathan followed the others into a large auditorium, where a row of pro heroes stood at the front. One of them, a broad-shouldered woman with a military stance and a scar over her brow, stepped forward.

"I'm Instructor Valera. For the next year, I'll be shaping you into something resembling actual heroes." Her voice carried across the room like a drill sergeant's. "Some of you might think you've already proved yourselves. You haven't. The real work starts now."

Nathan swallowed hard. Lucas, of course, just grinned.

Valera continued, "You'll be placed into training squads to build teamwork under pressure." A large screen behind her flickered to life, listing names. Nathan's eyes darted over the list, he exhaled in relief. Lucas was in his squad. And… Astra. That was unexpected.

Lucas nudged him. "Guess you're stuck with me, buddy."

Titan let out a booming laugh from across the room. "Good luck keeping up."

Before Valera could continue, a loud snap echoed through the hall.

All eyes turned to Lucas, who stood sheepishly beside a shattered metal clipboard.

Valera sighed. "This is why we can't have nice things."

After the briefing, the recruits were led to the tech department for their uniforms and gear. Rows of sleek suits lined the walls, each tailored for its respective owner.

"Whoa..." Lucas's eyes widened. "It's like we stepped into the future!"

A technician with wild white hair and spectacles that caught the light dramatically approached them. "Welcome, hero candidates!" His lab coat billowed behind him as he moved.

With a snap of his fingers, the cases opened simultaneously. A rush of cool air and subtle mist swirled around the uniforms as they were presented.

"AWESOME!" Lucas ran forward with impossible energy, nearly leaving an after-image. He pressed his face against the glass of his display. "Is that really mine?! It's perfect!"

Nathan approached his case slowly, still not quite believing it was his. The material felt like nothing he'd ever touched before, lighter than sports gear but somehow tougher. 

Silver lines traced down the arms and across the chest in a pattern that reminded him of sound waves. The deep charcoal base made the silver patterns pop, and the Hero Association emblem on the shoulder looked almost too official to be real.

Titan flexed dramatically before his crimson and black uniform. "Now THIS is more like it!" His booming laugh echoed through the lab as he struck a pose, biceps bulging. "A suit worthy of the strongest hero trainee!"

Astra held her uniform up with analytical precision, her eyes narrowed behind her glasses. The sleek design featured angular patterns in white and pale gray, architectural in their geometry. She ran a finger along one of the seams, nodding slightly as if confirming it met her standards. 

"The material responds to your unique energy signature," the technician explained, adjusting his glasses with one finger, causing them to flash white for a moment. "No one else can wear it. It would reject them immediately!"

Across the room, Titan scowled at a pair of delicate wrist communicators. He pressed one too hard, and it immediately snapped in half. "Who designs this stuff for twigs?"

Astra sighed, muttering, "It's called 'not being a brute.'"

The technician pinched his nose. "That's the third one today." 

"Fourth," Titan corrected, looking oddly proud.

Nathan chuckled. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Next they were led into the training facility, as Nathan stepped inside his eyes widened at the sheer scale of it. The massive hall was lined with reinforced sparring rings, obstacle courses, and combat dummies that moved like real opponents. Everything here was built to push them beyond their limits.

Valera stood at the center, arms crossed. "First lesson. You are not invincible. If you rely only on your abilities, you will fail. Let's see how you handle yourselves in a fight."

The first sparring matches began, each trainee facing off in friendly bouts. Nathan watched as Lucas easily overpowered his opponent with raw strength. Aegis fought with precise movements, calculating every strike.

Then, it was Nathan's turn.

He stepped into the ring against Titan, who cracked his knuckles. "This'll be quick."

It was.

The moment Nathan moved, Titan was already behind him, sweeping his legs out. He hit the ground hard, groaning as Titan smirked.

"Yeah… that was fun," Nathan muttered, spitting out what he hoped wasn't an important piece of equipment.

Astra's match was next. Unlike the others, she didn't rush in. Instead, she analyzed her opponent's movements, predicting each attack before dodging with ease. When she finally struck, it was calculated and precise, ending the fight in seconds.

Lucas whistled. "Remind me never to get on her bad side."

As the session wrapped up, their squad regrouped near the benches. Nathan was still rubbing his sore shoulder when Astra sat beside him, arms crossed.

"You're predictable," she said.

Nathan raised a brow. "Gee, thanks."

She shook her head. "It's not an insult. You just telegraph your movements too much. You hesitate before committing. It makes it easy for someone like Titan to read you."

Nathan frowned, then sighed. "I guess that's true."

Lucas leaned back with a grin. "Hey, at least you lasted longer than the guy Titan took down in one punch."

Nathan smirked. "Oh, great, I'll put that on my resume."

Astra's expression softened slightly. "You learn quickly. With practice, you'll adapt."

Nathan blinked, surprised at the small encouragement.

Lucas nudged him. "See? We've got your back. Besides, we're a squad now. We'll make sure you don't get flattened too often." 

"But now it's time for lunch, I'm starving," Lucas said while heading toward the cafeteria, his endless energy somehow still intact. "Last one there buys dessert!" 

"We get free meals," Astra pointed out dryly, but her pace quickened anyway.

The cafeteria was nothing like Nathan expected. Instead of a standard lunch room, it was more like a high-end restaurant designed to handle superhuman appetites. Reinforced tables, energy-dampening fields, and what looked like blast shields disguised as decorative panels. 

Nathan carried his tray. He scanned the room before spotting Lucas calling him over. Astra was already seated, picking at her food with a thoughtful expression.

Lucas accidentally crushed his spoon with his power. The cafeteria staff didn't even blink, just wordlessly threw another one his way.

Lucas grinned. "We survived the morning. That deserves a celebration."

Nathan sat down with a sigh. "Barely."

Before he could take a bite, Titan and his squad strode past. Titan smirked. "Hope you're more useful in the classroom than you were in the ring, Nathan."

Lucas tensed, but Nathan waved him off. "I'll let my grades do the talking."

Astra raised an eyebrow. "Good answer."

Nathan noticed Instructor Valera at a nearby table, her usual commanding presence subdued as she studied a tablet. The screen reflected in her glasses, missing person reports, though she switched it off quickly when she noticed students nearby. 

After lunch, passing the bulletin board near the tech department, Nathan caught glimpses of faces under "Active Investigations", including one wearing a Hero Association badge. 

He didn't have time to read more before Lucas pulled him along to their next class. Hero Protocol class.

The instructor, Hale, was a stern-looking woman. She wasted no time diving into the rules and responsibilities of a hero.

Nathan sat up straight, taking in every word. The legal complexities, ethical dilemmas, and crisis management strategies all fascinated him. He found himself answering questions with confidence, earning a nod of approval from Hale.

Meanwhile, Lucas was having trouble staying awake. His head bobbed forward, and Astra nudged him just before he fell asleep.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, totally listening," Lucas mumbled, blinking rapidly.

Astra rolled her eyes and resumed her meticulous note-taking.

As the class progressed, Nathan realized how much more went into being a hero than just having power. It wasn't just about fighting, it was about making the right decisions under pressure. 

He quickly glanced at Lucas and Astra. They were all different, but maybe that would make them a great team.

With fatigue setting into their bones, Nathan, Lucas, and Astra stepped out of the HQ. Sparring, classes and the constant pressure of proving themselves made the first day intense. But, despite the tiredness, there was a sense of accomplishment.

Lucas smiled and stretched his arms behind his head. "Well, we survived."

Nathan chuckled. "Yeah. And somehow, I don't feel like a total failure."

Astra, who was walking beside them, glanced over. "Because you're not. You're adapting."

Nathan blinked at the unexpected encouragement, a small smile forming. He didn't feel like he was still just the underdog trying to keep up with the rest, he was part of a team.